#i am forever made inconsolable

[snackugaki]

closing out the weekend with completely calm and rational feelings about my precious, beloved daughter Venus

[viriborne]

Asking every Malleyuu fan to play Witch’s Heart

[nebulablakemurphy]

Moves & Countermoves (Part 3)

Summary: No one ever wins the games, even fourteen years later, Y/N is still playing.

Prologue | Part 1 | Part 2

Katniss and Peeta have it out during dinner. Bickering over who has a better chance of winning. Asking to be trained separately after that. It is an odd thing to get heated about and Haymitch is intrigued.

“We’ll explore that later,” he decides as the kids leave the table.

Effie tries her hand at small talk. “Tomorrow the tributes will be assessed. How are you feeling about that? I, for one, am hopeful that we might see a victor!”

“I feel like I need a refill.” Haymitch grunts, leaning up from his seat to reach the bottle, “and I feel like you,” he looks to his wife, “need a little bit of the good stuff to take the edge off.” He dumps the contents of her glass onto the floor, replacing it with the malt liquor of his choice.

“I’m going to bed.” Y/N pushes away from the table.

“Don’t be like that, angel.” Haymitch reaches out, catching her around the waist and pulling her against his side.

Y/N smooths a hand over his hair. “It’s been a long day, I’m tired.”

Haymitch begrudgingly releases his hold. “Go.”

“Night, Effie.” The woman waves in parting.

Effie clears her throat, “goodnight.” These people are awfully temperamental.

Y/N returns to her room, making for the tablet on the nightstand. Clicking open her files for Katniss and Peeta in turn. Adding archery and strength to their lists of abilities, then moving onto weaknesses, scribbling in at the top ‘uncontrolled rage and each other?’

Y/N opens that file last; the one where she jots down kind words for the tribute’s families. How they touched her life, how they made a difference in this world and will continue to do so. With the promise that they will live on in their hearts and hers, forever.

When she was reaped, a lifetime ago, Haymitch hadn’t been warm and fuzzy. Though he’d gone to the quarter quell with her maternal aunt. Allied with her to get to the top five, even held her hand as she died, Haymitch can’t bring himself to do much more than drink himself into a stupor.

“What exactly do you want me to do, girl?”

“I want you to help us!”

He’d left Y/N and her district partner, high and dry.

“Help you?” Haymitch laughs, “I can’t help you.” He couldn’t save Maysilee then, he can’t save Y/N now. He wonders if this is still part of his punishment for the force field, cruel and unusual in it’s crafting.

Even after she wins, set up in the house beside his in victor’s village, Haymitch still won’t speak more than a few words to her. That is until the next reaping rolls around.

“Aren’t you coming with me?” Y/N asks.

Back to the Capitol, back to hell.

“Think I’m gonna sit this one out. You’re due to take one for the team, right? I was a shit mentor anyhow. Not you though, you’ll be good.”

She isn’t good. All of sixteen marching a couple of thirteen year olds to their final resting place. Y/N is inconsolable upon her return, mailing letters to the families of the fallen tributes from twelve and shutting out the world.

Her mother, who’s struggled with a morphling addiction most of Y/N’s life, is worse now. Her father, the mayor, makes his best efforts to shield his daughters from it. They do what they can to support Y/N through her victory and the transition to her new life, all to no avail.

In the end there is only one person Y/N wants to comfort her, the only one who understands. She has a new respect for Haymitch after that. There is no pain in the world like this.

It takes three years, three years before she marches up to his door on reaping day and pounds against it, hard. “You’re coming with me.” Gone is the child she was, a woman standing in her place.

“And why would I do that?” Haymitch smirks, leaning heavily against the door frame.

“Because I need you.”

Slowly, they became friends. Haymitch was happy to be whatever, whatever she needed him to be.

She folds the tablet back in it’s case, feeling tears prickle at the back of her eyes. Crying is useless, she learned that sometime ago. Not a single outcome changed or a life saved with tears. Only knowledge and fact driven perseverance can do that. Yet she is more man than machine and sometimes sadness wins.

The door of their suite hums to life. Y/N tries, in vain, to hide the evidence; her moment of weakness.

“You know, you,” Haymitch stumbles in, pointing a finger at her, “have become highly predictable.” Going to bed with him or after him is the norm. Means she’s fine, maybe not great, but she’ll tough it out. Going to bed before him is nothing short of a cry for help. She’s reached her limit. Haymitch knew she was getting there, that’s why he offered the drink.

Y/N heaves in a breath, “don’t say I told you so.”

“Fine, but I did tell you so,” he frowns. For all his flaws, Haymitch does love her and hates that she’s in pain.

She opens her hand to accept the little blue pill in his palm, it’ll put her out for a few hours of much needed sleep. Y/N swallows it dry, forcing it down her throat.

“Lie down,” Haymitch jerks his chin toward the pillows. Pulling back the covers to tuck her in, his wife’s eyelids already heavy.

She babbles out a bit of nonsense, her tongue like lead. Not heeding her command.

“We can argue all day tomorrow.” He promises, soothing her to sleep with her hand in his. Peppering kisses to her knuckles as she loosens her grip. “Sweet dreams.”

————————————————————————

“So besides the bow, what else can you do?” Y/N asks Katniss, prepared to take notes.

“Might help if you look at me.”

“Hmm?” The woman snaps her head up.

“If you’re analyzing me for the next kids, it might help to look up every now and again.”

“I wasn’t-”

“You were.” Katniss cuts her off, with finality. “We’re all numbers to you anyway.”

Y/N offers a smile as she sets the tablet down. “You want my attention, you have it.”

“Don’t talk to me that way.”

“What way?”

“Like I’m a child,” Katniss furrows her brow.

“You are a child,” Y/N retorts. “I know you don’t want to be here and all that anger has to go somewhere.” She pushes off the training room bench and onto the mats. “Show me what you can do.”

The brunette charges her mentor, prepared to tackle her to the ground; only Y/N moves at the last second. Leaving Katniss face down on the ground. This only fuels her fire, she grabs Y/N’s ankle, tugging her off balance.

They carry on like this for a long while, ending with the pair covered in sweat, sprawled out on the mats.

“How can you do this?” Send kids off every year to fight and die. “You’re a mother.”

“I do this because I’m a mother,” Y/N whispers. “You’re not numbers to me, Katniss. You’re people. Who deserve to be treated with love and compassion, given access to every shred of useful information I have. That’s why I document everything. So I never forget.”

Katniss sees her then, as if for the first time.

Peeta finds them. “It’s time to switch,” he says.

Haymitch is waiting to help Katniss prep for the interviews and Peeta will now be…doing whatever this is.

Katniss musters the strength to drag herself away, glancing back at Y/N from the door. “Put that in my notes. Tell my sister I fought.”

————————————————————————

“As you know, the tributes are rated on a scale of one to twelve, after three days of careful evaluation.” Caesar narrates from the television.

Effie, Portia, Cinna, Peeta and Katniss have all joined the victors on the pristine white settee. Y/N slides forward to the edge, while Haymitch sinks back into the cushions. Feeling the familiar squeeze and release of her fingers against his knee as the results are displayed.

District twelve is last, the anticipation rises like bile in Y/N’s throat. The careers score nines and tens, the others a mix of fives through eights. Thresh, of district eleven pulled a nine, his partner Rue follows with a seven. Best of luck, sweet girl.

“From district twelve, Peeta Mellark; with a score of…eight.”

Portia gasps in delight, “Peeta!”

“Excellent.”

“An eight.” Y/N bumps his shoulder.

“We can work with that.”

“Bravo.”

Peeta smiles, relaxing marginally at the news.

“And finally, from district twelve, Katniss Everdeen; with a score of…eleven.”

“Eleven?!”

“I thought they hated me.” After she shot at their pig and all.

“They must have liked your guts.”

Cinna raises a toast. “To Katniss Everdeen, the girl on fire!”

Part 4

Series Taglist: @praline357 @flowercrowns-goodvibes @justheretoparty420 @avocadotoastwithegg @officialjellydoughnut @whoreforfictionalpeople @treehouse-mouse @emo-markie @spilled-mi1k

[minhosbitterriver]

blame me if you want.

other works by green.

pairing: jeongin x gender neutral reader

content warnings: heartbreak, angst, crying, break up

rating: 13+

summary: you deluded yourself into thinking you and jeongin were meant to last forever. but after some time where he felt distant, you come to find out why.

🍂 untitled — hyunjin & i.n (2 kids’ show)

His hands shook slightly as they held your face as though you were to break into a thousand pieces if he let you go, and you thought you might, too, since your heart had just been shattered by the man you’d once named your forever; why not let your body and soul follow your heart into the disaster it is now? You watched as tears threatened to spill, his voice cracked and his lips formed a trembling frown, though it didn’t compare to the storm of tears rolling down your cheeks or the sobs that continuously escaped past your lips, your expression twisted into one of pure heartbreak.

“I— I really didn’t want us to end like this, Jeongin,” you sobbed, and you knew he could barely understand what you were trying to say through the hiccups and cries. “But it’s like you’ve mentally been away for months now and I don’t know what I can do anymore. I can’t continue living like this, losing sleep because I can’t figure out what is happening and you keep refusing to talk about it.”

Jeongin pulled you to his chest, resting his chin on top of your head as the fingers of one hand gripped your shirt. He was shaking all over, but you were inconsolable.

“You’ve said it on my behalf, Y/N.” He began, voice crackling as he held back tears. “At some point, your eyes felt so cold, and perhaps I am the reason, but —”

You pulled away from him, eyebrows furrowed. “If I ever looked at you coldly, I never meant it. Baby, I promise that —”

“No, not like that,” he interrupted. “I mean, I didn’t feel the same way that I used to. I’m not sure how or when it happened, but it did. I couldn’t figure out how to tell you, but I really didn’t want things to get to this point.”

A tear finally rolled down his cheek as he spoke, voice growing thicker as he held back his own devastation. His words felt as though he’d pushed you off of a cliff and now you were just falling without a safety net by yourself.

“Y/N, I know in my heart that you leaving me and finding someone who truly deserves you before this pain gets any deeper is the best thing you can do.” A choked sob escaped from his lips and he sniffled, looking away for a moment to compose himself. “I tried to be your forever, I really did. But now I’m not sure of anything; did I really fall in love? Or was it a selfish decision made for my own sake to escape from my loneliness? At first, I didn’t even want to entertain the idea but, I haven’t been able to stop thinking about it since.”

The room was spinning at his words, your sobs intensifying while you pulled away from him completely. You were angry now, hurt, betrayed.

“What are you implying?” Your voice was louder than you’d intended, but you also couldn’t bring yourself to care when your whole world was collapsing in on itself at the moment. “Are you saying that everything we’d been through wasn’t real? Every beautiful minute spent together didn’t make you feel like this could be forever?”

You were standing now, looking down on his shiny eyes as more tears rolled freely down his achingly beautiful face; even with emotions running high, it took everything in you to not kiss them away. But he didn’t deserve that anymore, and you were well aware. When you called him over with the intention to end things, you wanted him to argue with you and tell you that you guys could work things out. You wanted to hear him say that he loved you, and that he didn’t agree with this decision. Anything to show you that he cared and was willing to fight for you and your relationship with him. Instead you found yourself feeling as though he’d punched you in the gut when he agreed wholeheartedly. Now every year spent with him was in question as you wondered just how much of it was as real to him as it had been for you. How many times did he lie through his teeth as he told you he loved you? The thought had you shaking with rage.

Jeongin didn’t respond, only sat there as he watched you back away from him slowly.

“Was I really just someone to keep your bed warm? Who the fuck says that?”

Jeongin finally stood up, hands attempting to reach you but you moved away before he could. “No, I don’t think it was like that —”

“You don’t think, Jeongin? This was the part where you told me ‘No, Y/N, it definitely wasn’t like that’. But you stand there and tell me you don’t think I was just a warm body so you didn’t feel so lonely? You’re such a coward.”

“I know that I am!” For the first time ever, Jeongin raised his voice, which took you aback. “You can blame me if you want, Y/N, but you have to believe me when I tell you that I didn’t want this to drag on like this. There were so many times where I tried to be honest about my feelings but I would look at you and always feel like such a monster for wanting to end things when what we had was so good. Don’t you think I hate this too?”

You remained silent, his words echoing in your mind. It didn’t make sense to you, nothing did. “If what we had was so good, then why did you stop loving me? When did you stop seeing me as your future?”

He opened his mouth but nothing came out. His shoulders slumped when he mumbled, “I have no idea.”

You sniffled, wrapping your own arms around yourself as you watched him. The crying had subsided a little bit by that point, and you could feel your chest becoming numb the longer he remained there. He stood before you, a shell of a man who had once decided to fall with you, but now he watched as you fell on your own to your own doom. The future looked so bleak without him, and you didn’t think you could ever forgive him for this.

“Do you think you would’ve said something sooner rather than later if I hadn’t called you over?”

“I don’t know. I hope so.”

You inhaled sharply, and exhaled shakily, your heart beating in your throat as you prepared to say the next words you’d never even dreamt of saying: “I think you should leave.”

Worst of all, Jeongin only nodded before walking out of your place. He didn’t even look back before closing the door behind him, leaving you a shattered mess.

word count: 1.1k 🍂 posted: 11 • 30 • 2023

💬 a note from green;

i watched hyunjin and i.n’s 2 kids show yesterday and their untitled song had me in tears and inspired me to write this sad little thing. i hope you guys enjoy, i might post something with hyunjin too though i don’t know.

🪲 TAGLIST !

# @grandpafelixx

[chaoticbardlady99]

She’s Not Acid Nor Alkaline (Astarion x F! Pirate Captain OC) Chapter 2

Synopsis: The Heroes of Baldur’s Gate experience their first battle at sea in their adventure to bring Karlach back from the Hells.

CW: mentions of violence, NSFW cause these are two horny mofos (not a lot though- the next chapter is gonna be spicy as hell though)

Author note: I’m sorry this took so long! I am finally not horribly depressed and not sleeping at all due to work stress! I’ll be posting more for this story, starting a Master Vampire reader x astarion fic, and I have a lot of chapters written for my Trans Female Tav, Keeley, and Astarion that I am so excited to post! My goal is to get everything onto my new AO3 sometime this week! Oh and part 4 of I Wondered If I Could Come Home is almost complete 😈

Likes, comments, and reblogs are always appreciated! Thank you for your patience!

Part 1:

Chapter 2: Valkur’s Aasimar

Calypso is forever grateful to Lucifer for taking over the night time duties so Calypso can actually rest. It doesn’t make the early morning wake up any easier, but it helps. She loves her cabin and she loves the peace it provides.

The bed frame is built into the wall so that she doesn’t slide around everywhere as the ship continues to sail and there’s a washtub nailed down in one corner. Her desk and map table are equally as glued to the floor.

Calypso watched (and was an unfortunate victim of) her mother’s lack of ‘safety’ precautions when she was a captive on her ship. She was often run over by her mother’s bed or her desk- left for hours underneath them- when her mother had no use for her.

It’s been 60 years since Duke Ravenguard helped Calypso secure her freedom, but there had still been 90 years of torture and misuse. If her mother wasn’t absorbing every last drop of power from her bones- she was starving her, beating her into submission, waterboarding her, etc, etc. It’s not a reality that Calypso misses.

The soft glow of the morning sun outlining the shadows of Astarion’s face is a much better world to wake up in.

If Lucifer helps make waking up easier, then Astarion does not help- in fact the man makes it damn near impossible to leave her bed at all. She doesn’t want to have to untangle her limbs from his or wait for another 8 or 9 odd hours before she can be like this with him again.

Astarion had managed to keep her in bed later than usual over the last five days. The minute she so much as moves a muscle- Astarion has her underneath him writhing and begging for release or he’s fucking into her slowly, stealing all the air out of her lungs. It’s invigorating to say the least and her body sings under his attentive touch.

The more she learns about him, the more Calypso adores him. Astarion had opened up about his life pretty quickly after a bad trance. Supposedly one of his victims’ faces had been replaced with hers and he handed her over to Cazador. He was struggling to accept that the reality was different- that Calypso is well and truly alive in his arms. The man had been borderline inconsolable in the aftermath of the twisted memory, but Calypso had managed to coax him out of the fog and back to her.

Astarion even experienced Calypso at her worst- jealous. He learned very quickly that she wasn’t going to deal with that. When he had knocked on her door with his tail between his legs, Calypso made sure to answer and let him in wearing her skimpiest outfit- a nude, see through corset bralette and a pair of lacy nude panties. His apology ended with him eating her out on top of her map table- one of her maps needs to be replaced entirely after the affair.

She always made sure he actually wanted to engage in these activities with her- especially after learning about his history. Astarion assured her that he would let her know if he didn’t or if he needed to stop and he did. Astarion had only wanted to pleasure her that night and the rest of the night was spent just enjoying each other’s company.

Astarion will spend time with her throughout the day as well and his company is very welcome. Lucifer is usually taking his turn to sleep throughout the morning and into the evening so Calypso doesn’t have to worry about the two of them bickering.

Astarion has begun to ask her questions about the ship, how to be a Helmsman, commands, language, so on and so forth. He’s a very good student- picking it all up impressively fast. Calypso has let him man the ship (under supervision of course) as they made their way to the first stop.

Caer Callidyrr isn’t Calypso’s favorite doc to stay at, but they need to dock The Chimera and take a smaller ship into the Hells. The Chimera isn’t large, but it won’t be able to navigate safely through Stygia. Only Calypso and Lucifer will be traveling with the group of adventurers. With Callidyrr being only hours ahead of them, Calypso is confident they will make it before sunrise- provided there aren't any unexpected obstacles.

Which always seems to happen no matter how many times Calypso plans her routes out or how careful she is to avoid crossing paths with the Cult of Umberle or the Cult of Water. Now there are at least 8 Cult of Water ships heading in their direction.

Calypso isn’t paying attention to the frantic looks on the faces of Astarion and his companions as they realize they are about to be engaged in their first open water battle. She wants to reassure them (more so Astarion) that it’s going to be just fun, but there isn’t any time for that right now.

“I need Chain shots loaded- NOW!” Calypso shouts and her night crew sprints up from below the deck to join for the coming battle.

“They are chasing us at full sail, Calypso,” Lucifer’s voice holds an edge of aggression, “I’d prefer to not have a full blown battle on the Sh-“

“Yes Lucy,” she says with a wave of her hands, “I’m aware of what you would prefer and I’m working on it.”

Calypso climbs up the stairs and leans over the railing of the helm.

“Alright- we need the ship to come about! Wizards, warlocks- basically anyone who can cast gusts of wind- take position on the quarterdeck ,” she shouts, the crew shouts in understanding.

“Anyone else,” Lucifer yells, “split yourselves into two groups- I want some of you below deck readying the canons and the Chase gun! The other half- ready your bows and arrows and be prepared to fire when we are 3 fathoms away from the other ship!”

Lucifer looks up at Calypso and gestures to their guests- she raises an eyebrow.

“They all know what their capabilities are,” she states, “if they wish to travel on this ship then they need to protect it too.”

The looks of absolute dread on all of their faces is almost comical. They really have no faith in her! How hurtful.

“Well- then you heard the Captain,” Lucifer says with far too much gratification, “get to your assignments.”

“Careful, Lucy,” Calypso warned, “you sound so happy I may make you go below deck to help and let the Dragonborn be my first mate.”

Tav beamed, “I’m so glad I’m your first pick.

Astarion pouts up at Calypso and she flashes him a teasing grin before blowing him a kiss. Calypso stands on the rail and addresses the crew one final time.

“Oh,” Calypso clears her throat, “and may I remind you sorry lot that dead men tell no tales- so let’s try to make it out of this one alive- savvy?”

Everyone races to their positions. The laughter and the energy is infectious. Calypso isn’t worried a single bit and she watches the tension ease from Lucifer’s shoulders. He rarely thinks she takes anything seriously, but Calypso does. She is equally as protective of her crew and her guests- it’s not about her or the ship’s safety for her. Calypso has a special group of individuals aboard her group- her main crew consists of runaway slaves from Calimport, ex-Lolth sworn Drows who remain below deck until the night time and operate the canons, Half-Orcs who have been ostracized, Dhampirs who were abandoned at birth (Calypso would come across them and the crew worked together to raise them), etc. They aren’t a ragtag group of scummy pirates- they are all survivors who are standing together.

Well, except for the contract workers. Fuck those entitled pricks.

She jots back to the Helm- waiting for the exact moment to turn the ship.

The minute red and green flares go up in the air- the ship goes flying forward with the assistance of the many magic users casting gusts of wind on the sails. Calypso turns into the sudden rush of air allowing the ship to circle into position where it can slam the side of the other boats.

Calypso closes her eyes and takes a deep breath- letting the smell of the ocean water fill her senses. She imagines a storm surrounding the ship hurtling towards them- the waves thrashing them around and consuming them whole.

The thunder cracks the peaceful sound of the air before the dark clouds even begin to sweep across the sky- the water underneath her rumbles it’s war cry and Calypso allows Valkur’s power to consume her- like him, she can commandeer any ship, walk through water, control the weather, navigate through every storm unscathed, call upon Orca’s, etc. The best part though? No ship she sails on is able to sink- ever.

Then she hears Wyll scream, “HOLY SHIT!”

She looks over with a smile- her good friend, Hesjing, must have missed her enough to make an appearance. Or he’s just really hungry. Most likely he is really hungry and her targets make for easy prey considering they end up floundering in the ocean.

The massive Sea Wyvern goes flying over their heads and laying chaos to the ships- their flags going up in flames and the chaos keeps them from changing direction in time.

“NOW!!!!!”

The ship lurches forward in the water with the support of the extra wind and Calypso’s magic as Calypso prepares to ram into the 4 ships in the back of the line.

The bow crashes with an ear shattering noise through the first, second, and third ship. Hesjing takes one of the ships down in the front of the line. The world is full of smoke and flames- Calypso barely sees the four remaining ships beginning to form a circle to trap them in.

“GRAB ON TO SOMETHING!”

The command roars through the air as it’s repeated by the whole crew upon the deck. She takes one glance at Astarion- trying to remind herself not to get caught up in whatever emotions he is feeling.

Calypso is surprised to see the pure adrenaline in his posture and in the shadows of his face. There isn’t a single ounce of fear to be seen. She can’t help the smile that crosses her face. Poor Tav looks absolutely green and is holding onto Astarion’s arm for support. She’ll have to make sure to pick up something for sea sickness otherwise the Dragonborn may detest her forever.

The screams shattering through the air is the only thing that keeps Calypso from being lost in thought. One of the other ships had managed to turn towards them and was going to hit them very very hard. The ship will be fine- much like her powersake, Valkur, any ship she sails is indestructible. However, that means the ship will pass through the boat and they are going to have a battle on deck.

Calypso jumps over the Helm- yelling to Celeste nearby to take control of the Helm momentarily. She doesn’t check if Celeste goes there, she just keeps racing until she hits the deck.

The ship is barreling at them much faster than Calypso thought and she messily says a spell in Thaumaglossia (Celestial spell casting language). Both ships are being pulled up and to the side ever so slightly by a massive title wave- the captain of the other ship makes eye contact with her and she can see the fear as plainly as the whites of their eyes.

Magic flows through her fingertips and the tidal wave passes over them and engulfs them in the water- an air tight bubble surrounding The Chimera while they watch the enemy ship be demolished by not only a tidal wave, but the pack of Orcas that followed it.

It’s a gruesome scene- the pirate ship popping back up underneath another enemy ship and adding to the carnage. The Orcas leap and flip through the air with screaming cultists in their mouth.

The last two ships had been graciously taken down by Hesjing, who then proceeded to inhale one of the Orcas on his dive back down to the depths of the sea. The Chimera totters along the capillary waves as the Crew cheers loudly.

Calypso releases a sigh she didn’t realize she was holding and nearly stumbles to the ground when a large hand slaps her on the back.

“Excellent work as always Captain!” Toothless Tosh shouts out- everyone cheers in agreement.

“Oh yes, it was a very impressive display as always,” Lucifer says goadingly- his eyes flitting around her form, “so much so that drinks will be on the Captain tonight- hm?”

“You rat bastard,” Calypso mumbles under her breath, causing the man to laugh, “fine! But only because you actually hurried your asses up this time!”

The crew disbands with laughter- returning to their previous spots and helping to make sure everyone is injury free. Some of the less magically inclined individuals begin to pass out the rations for the day. Honestly she feels like she could fall over and fall asleep. It takes a lot of thought, magic, and concentration to be able to perform that many high power spells at once. For example- the Orcas did not show up on their own accord, they showed up because Calypso’s magic called out to them when she asked it to. She does feel poorly about Hesjing running off with one.

The sound of approaching footsteps and grumbling from a certain seasick Dragonborn fills Calypso with glee. Wherever Tav is, Astarion usually is.

The poor man is still tinted green on the tip of his scales, but luckily, he doesn’t have to utter a word.

Lae’zel, Shadowheart, Gale, and Wyll are smothering Calypso in questions- some she barely has any answers too. For example- how does she summon Orcas and a Sea Wyverm. Her answer? She has no fucking clue. However, she does appreciate how impressed they are.

Eventually everyone disbands to get their rations for the day. Calypso is thankful that Farview is maybe only 6 hours away and they’ll be there before the sun falls. They are running low on food and Calypso prefers to not go hungry if she can help it- especially with a crew of hangry individuals. They are all the worst people she has ever met when they are hungry- it’s great for raids.

“That was quite the show of strength, my Dear,” her lover’s melodic voice flows through her ears, “I can’t decide if I’m afraid or turned on.”

She smiles cheekily at him with an eyebrow raised, “why not both?”

“Hmm, how erotic,” Astarion teases, “should I expect to be tied up while we’re at it?”

“Perhaps, I am full of surprises, you know.”

“Oh- I am very well aware.”

Calypso can’t help it- her face always hurts when she is around Astarion (in the best way possible). Everything about him makes her smile and her heart sing. It’s proper gross if she’s being honest with herself. She never pegged herself for a smitten school girl- at least not in her adult years.

“How much longer do I have to wait to keep your attention for longer than 5 minutes at a time, East?”

Despite his teasing tone, she can sense the impatience in his tone. She tuts at him.

“I’m afraid another six hours, North,” Calypso says with an exaggerated pout, “you will have to wait several five more minute increments longer.”

The man groans and grabs Calypso’s hand- dragging her off to her cabin. The moment the door is closed- Astarion’s lips are on hers hungrily and his expert hands are already rubbing her clit, a finger and then two sliding in as soon as she’s ready- which she finds very quickly when it comes to Astarion. A hum of pleasure rolls through her body as he coaxes moans and her orgasm out of her. Her own hands have fumbled their way into his pants and she uses his precum as lube- rubbing her hands up and down his hard cock. The moans and curse words that tumble out of Astarion’s mouth are absolutely divine.

Calypso knows this is all they have time for- they would never leave if they actually had sex- and Astarion thankfully respects that, but Valkur preserve her- it’s going to be a very long six hours.

[kurisus]

Chapter 106-2 thoughts

sorry this is LATE but this chapter did horrible things to my brain so let's all yell about it under the cut.

Daikoku continues to be the best character. And the Kofuku/Daikoku reunion I feel kinda got swept under the rug with everything else that happened but I'm glad they're back together. Even if the circumstances are less than ideal.

But before I move to talking about other reunions under less than ideal circumstances,,, I'm glad the shinki have rallied. It goes along well with the manga's message that shinki are responsible for shaping the morals of their god, and I would really hate to read a manga that ends with a massacre of the human race, besides.

On to the Father section, the meat of this chapter, I wonder why Kaya is nowhere to be found. Though her death was sudden, I suppose she didn't become a shinki nor an ayakashi, so Father's dimension can only create a facsimile. So was she satisfied with her life until that point? Or was she so afraid of Father she didn't want to become like him? The latter seems more likely to me.

The parallel between Father looking for Kaya to Yato wanting his shrine hurt me deeply. The difference, though, is that Father would stop at nothing to achieve his goals, whereas Yato had people to stop him and steer him. Like I speculated last month, too, I am not convinced that Father even believes in his own mission. It's more like he got drunk on power and enjoyed causing collateral damage, to me.

In any case, Yato was happy to settle and keep improving himself once he got his shrine, giving up his dreams of being the most-worshipped god since that wasn't really what he was after. Meanwhile, no amount of reparations could fix the damage Father has done, and unlike Yato, he wouldn't stop his behaviors even if Kaya was miraculously here. More likely, he'd try to force Yato and Hiiro back into their roles as his submissive children, and kill everyone who doesn't belong in his facade of a family portrait.

But Kaya is not here, Father has discovered that his will is not all-powerful, and now he's right back to where he started. Ruling over nothing.

The reminder of how Yato sees Izanami in the year 2023 was honestly so rude. And even more rude was that apparently Father knew Hiyori was here, and made an educated guess that Yato saw Izanami as her.

HERE'S HOW THE HIYORI SAKURA CONVERSATION CAN STILL WIN--

Okay so now we're at the Yatori reunion. I think "long-awaited" hardly covers this. It's been more than 5 years for us, and over a month in-universe, and even worse, Yato basically told Hiyori the next time he saw her he would have reincarnated. And now she sees him standing before her as a child. So. That's going well.

A couple things concern me about this. First of all, Hiyori's in poor condition, so something tells me she's going to believe he died and not find out the truth for quite some time. Which would break me beyond repair, so I hope that doesn't happen and I will not elaborate on what's in my head. Second, the reason she's like that at all is because of trash dad's interference. Yato still doesn't know about him setting wolves on her. He's going to quickly put two and two together, and on top of that, Yukine is also dissolving.

So, will Yato kill Father with his own two hands at long last? Will he revert to being an adult once he does? Will Hiyori realize the truth before they part ways forever? CAN WE HAVE A GOD DAMN BITTERSWEET ENDING? I'M GOING TO BE INCONSOLABLE IF WE DON'T.

I think. we will be fine. It's quite late in the game to kill any of the main characters now, but I never look forward to seeing how Adachitoka inevitably plans to hurt me. So with that in mind, I'll see you all next month for another round of screaming.

[haleyincarnate]

Being on my own has made me come to so many realizations, but there’s one specifically I want to dive into today: how grateful I am to have the honor to age.

The passage of time has many a time nearly rendered me inconsolable as a child, a teenager, and into early adulthood. I held on to every experience I went through in life like a balloon tied to a white string, knowing if I let go the moment would be lost forever. This terrified me. I had to take every chance I had when it presented itself to me: one more beer, one more kiss, one more smoke, one more one more one more-

And I’d grieve when it was all over. Every birthday passed was a funeral. Every goodbye permanent, the next hello just an unknown. I’d watch the world whiz by in a blur from the back seat of a red PT Cruiser, a voice inside my head reminding me with each passing tree, “this is a moment you will never get back.” And I spent YEARS stuck in that loop, feeling on top of the world one minute and the next flailing at the bottom of its deepest trench.

Moving into my late twenties, however, I felt a shift. I found myself yearning to create. I discovered comfort in sobriety and knowing I truly wasn’t missing out on anything by not participating in drinking. Felt my heart coming back to life after the longest relationship I’ve had ended. Received a promotion at work but had to turn it down for personal reasons. Moved back in with my mother to find my footing again.

And in everything, I found myself grateful to be here. To still be able to bring my father coffee at his shop. To go into my place of work smiling. To enjoy time spent with friends, no matter how rarely that happens. To find the simple joy in talking with my mother face to face more often now than on Facetime. I found the strength in me to immortalize that childhood and all its passing glory into a poetry collection I’m releasing in just under two weeks.

In these past two years I have lost three members of my family, something I knew was inevitable yet never foresaw it happening. As a past version of myself, I would have let this rock my life completely, fearing every second of every day when the next tragedy would strike.

In actuality, I allowed it to strengthen me. This is not to say I did not grieve, but that I am lucky to have done so. It made me that much more appreciative of the time I DO have.

I’m thankful to be here after spending so much time convinced I wouldn’t be.

And I’m proud of you for being here, too.

[precious-little-scoundrel]

my dearest darlingest marina i need you to know you have broken me quite thoroughly and i might never ever forgive you for it as long as we both shall live ! ❣️

to clarify- ive been saving "let's fall out of love" to read later ever since you posted it cuz i didn't feel ready- didn't think i was emotionally stable enough to read it then. well, tonight ive been clearing out my list of unread fics from last year aND GODDAMN WAS I EVER RIGHT ABOUT THAT.!!!

started getting all weepy and shaky before that first courthouse bathroom conversation and i didn't ever stop 😭 sobbed so hard and for so long at the unfairness of it all (for both of them !) i gave myself an asthma attack and had to stop reading.. what really broke me was e's bittersweet and somewhat detached realization on the courthouse steps that all their kids had flocked to laney during the divorce. couldn't stop thinking abt how badly i would've wanted to tell jesse off for being sharp to his daddy, and the knowledge that elaine COULDN'T, that it wasn't quite over yet and she still had to save face for a bit longer despite how much it killed them both, despite being the only person who could truly understand just how deep elvis was hurting right then and having been the one who'd made a whole life out of loving him hard.......... the idea of him resigning himself to having lost that forever (false) and her having to go against everything in her nature to let him ache a while longer,, oh it just shattered my spirit to bits right then and there. oh god im gonna start crying again just thinking about how lonely they both made each other 💔💔💔

im literally inconsolable, even with the reasoning behind it/ knowing how it ends beforehand, and having those future timeline fics to fall back on did nOT SAVE ME like . dear GOD woman how is that even possible?!?? if i had any shred of humanity left in my body id wax poetic for three more paragraphs abt how that speaks to your truly absolutely outstanding talent as an author and worldbuilder, but alas i think i cried out everything that was keeping me sane sometime in the last half hour and now i have to go lie facedown on the floor in my hallway and die abt it all instead 👍 fantastic work as always i love all your work so much forever etc etc 💗💗💗💗💗💗💗

ps: it took me the better part of an hour to type all this out since ive lost the water content of approxinately a small ocean w my tears and am doing physically poorly in response 🫠🫠 so thanks for ur patience in this trying time 😔🙏

I spun around in circles upon reading this like my poor coon dog when she had a stroke -jovially of course. Like this is the stuff every writer dreams of getting for feedback but holy smokes, your talent for screaming? Beyond my wildest dreams. I’ve always told you how much I appreciate your time and enthusiasm to tell your thoughts Mary Hope, and now is no exception. My babe and co-author @elvisabutler deserves the pleasure of reading what we’ve wrought, as well. I’ll be halving all your medical and psychiatric expenses with her. 😏

Tbh, despite knowing both imminent and longterm reconciliation was to happen after this segment, we were just as cut up about tearing them apart as you were to read it. In fact, it was worse than all the lead up fics where the passive aggressive accumulation of grievances came across as hurts but ultimately only aggravations. This is just…PAIN. Funny how what was untenable before a tragedy suddenly appears to have been idyllic after it. Anyways.

Thank you for reading, here’s some Kleenex, albuterol and do know the sequel to this divorce is in drafts, so not finished AT ALL but it is in the works.

Not that it’ll hurt much less than this one. 😈

[dsimsdecades]

After Caroline broke the news of her impending marriage to Don Pedro, Sebastián was inconsolable. Throughout the day, he wandered around the house in a state of dejection, resistant to any words of comfort. Antonio, trying to be understanding, attempted to console him, but Sebastián withdrew further into himself. The sight of her son suffering caused Isabel immense heartache. Antonio tried his best to comfort her. "Don't worry, mi amor, he will be okay. This will pass."

One night, overwhelmed with despair, Sebastián descended into the cellar, seeking solace in alcohol to drown his sorrows. Despite his efforts, his suffering persisted. He took a walk, hoping to clear his head. He followed his instincts for hours and found himself in Caroline’s yard. Looking up at her window, he shouted, his voice echoing in the night air. “Caroline! Caroline, my love, I’ve come for you.” Silence followed. “CAROLINE!” he shouted with all his might. She came out to the balcony, imploring him to keep quiet. “Please, stop. You are going to wake up my father, please.” Undeterred, he made his way up to her balcony. “Caroline, my precious love,” he whispered, his voice caressing her name.

“Sebastián, keep it down,” she implored, glancing around nervously. “If my father finds you here, he will kill you. Please, keep your voice down.”

“Let him kill me. I would rather perish than endure another day without your presence.”

“You do not truly mean that. Consider your family. Your dear mother would be heartbroken.”

“Would you be heartbroken if I were no longer here?”

As she looked at him, her eyes revealed both love and despair. “Yes, I would be brokenhearted. My heart belongs to you, Sebastián. I cannot imagine a reality where you do not exist.” She could no longer ignore the truth she felt in her heart.

“Oh, my dearest Caroline, I love you so much,” he said passionately, cradling her face and kissing her.

She pulled away and declared, “But that changes nothing. I must wed Don Pedro.”

“Why?” Sebastián let out an exasperated sigh. “I don’t understand.”

“Sebastián, please.”

“NO!” His face was red with rage. “Enlighten me so I can make sense of it. What compels you to marry that man when your heart belongs to another?”

“Because I must!” Caroline raised her voice, then quickly lowered it, remembering her parent’s bedroom was not far away. Seeing that Sebastián would not back down, she hesitantly revealed the reason she had been forced to marry: her father had gambled away their fortune, and he had arranged her marriage to Don Pedro for his wealth.

“Caroline, you do not have to go through with this. Let’s escape together—we can travel so far away that your father won’t be able to reach us.”

She sighed. “That place doesn’t exist.”

“Caroline, we could go to Spain. I am certain that my sister will help us.”

“Sebastián, please stop. You’re only making this harder. It’s done!”

“So you would sacrifice yourself for a man who would barter you away like…” He quickly stopped himself before he uttered something he would later regret.

“I sacrifice myself for my mother and sister. I will not leave them destitute.” She retorted in an acid tone. “I have no choice. I must push aside my desires and fulfill my obligations.”

He embraced her in his arms and whispered in her ear. “Caroline, there must be a way.”

“I have accepted my fate, Sebastian; please understand.” She spoke in a gentler tone and looked into his eyes. “I have one request of you. I want you to be my first.” She pressed her lips to his, lingering softly before she kissed him with intense desire.

Caroline had little say in most of her life, but she could choose for herself. If she was going to give up her happiness, she wanted her first time to be special and feel the love of the man who meant the world to her. She would keep this night in her heart forever.

Beginning | Previous | Next  

[southfarthing]

sHUt UP not aegnor and andreth eoduhvoaivhnaqpnqa ive been waiting for you to read athrabeth for ages. I know this is controversial but theyre my favorite couple and finrod and andreth is my favorite platonic ship it kills me I cant think, finrod was so devoted to her and they were intellectual soulmates even if on the opposite side and aegnor DIED before her, and she thought she would trouble him rips hair out and eats it

and the nature ajkfnof elves and how they differ from men and how they think and how deeply Morgoth has corrupted the land that they believe they are cursed but andreth will be free one day and aegnor will be trapped in mandos alone till the second song comes and I my head hurts

it was SOOOOOOOOO literally I was sat reading in the park with my brain rising from my body like

it was SUCH an interesting discussion??? I definitely need to read it again because there was so much going on but yes the way elves know their past while men seem to have come out of such darkness that they see morgoth as the most powerful force???? and always that sense of loss and bitterness 😩😩😩 and all the discussion of hopelessness and hope and pity and healing and 😩😩😩😩😩😩😩

and then the breaks every once in a while where you see how close finrod and andreth are 😩🥺🥺 when he says in Arda remade the elves would sing to the men and andreth is like 'what would you say once you've done singing' and Finrod laughs 😩🥹😩🥹

AND THEN. GOD.

DO CANDLES PITY MOTHS.... OR MOTHS CANDLES WHEN THE WIND BLOWS THEM OUT?...... I TELL THEE AIKANAR LOVED THEE........... THEN WHY DID HE TURN AWAY WHILE I HAD A GOOD FEW YEARS TO SPEND........FOR ONE YEAR, ONE DAY, OF THE FLAME I WOULD HAVE GIVEN ALL....... THAT HE KNEW ........

she doesn't want to be a burden but she never would have been because he never would have run on before her he would have waited but he didn't want her to feel ashamed . but none of that matters because he's going to die first anyway. im literally abt to start chomping on my mattress. the memory of her he will take with him but what will she take wherever it is that she goes ....... 😩🔫

why are elves abd men made different......so we can touch hands in the darkness ... ..

and at the end... "But you are not for Arda. Whither you go may you find light. Await us there, my brother – and me." HEEEEEEEEE Finrod has SO much love and respect for her i want to scream i am inconsolable I will never recover from this i cant believe you recommended this to me my brain chemistry has been changed forever

[be-bisexual-eat-hot-chip-and-lie]

unreal unearth thoughts:

de selby (part 1)

- the harmonies ughhhh

- this man is singing in irish !!!

- this is in fact a religious experience

de selby (part 2)

- i’d block the sun if you want it gone shjshshah

first time

- his voice is so soft and lovely

- as it was and ever shall be my all girls catholic school ass is screaming in religious imagery

- some part of me must have died the final time you called me baby !!!! I AM UNWELL

francesca

- my life was a storm since i was born, how could i fear any hurricane

- this man is a poet

- the ah-ah ah-ahs scratch my brain so good omg

- heaven is not fit to house a love like you and i

- the choral arrangement of this the layers and harmonies i am screaming i am crying i am losing my mind

i, carrion (icarian)

- icarus?!

- i am lifted by every word you sing (said?) to me

- its such a lovely and light tune

- if we fall, i only pray, dont fall away from me

eat your young

- i cannot wait to hear this live oh my fuck

- the little vocal riff motif thing is just. so good?

damage gets done

- we had nowhere to go and every desire for going there

- harmonies make me go feral

- darlin’

- layered sounds i am normal about this (i am most definitely not)

who we are

- piano!!

- hold me like a knife

- 2:34-3:22 makes me happy dance

son of nyx

- me when greek myth !!

- string arrangement that devastates /pos

all things end

- if there was anyone to ever get through this life with their heart still intact, they didnt do it right

- i love how his voice changes from song to song ugh a man with range

- darlin’

- choral arrangement!!! i am dead deceased done for every time

to someone from a warm climate (uiscefhuaraithe)

- darlin

- it am someone from a warm climate (mexico) this song is for me

- there are some things that no one teaches you

- i just want a compilation of this man calling me darlin please that will cure my depression

butchered tongue

- soft and devastating

- the shattered bedrock of our home sir why must you hurt me like this

- if he plays this live i will weep inconsolably

anything but

- immediately more upbeat

- if i was a riptide i wouldn’t take you out

- harmonies shakgakahsjs

- drumbeat

- if i had his job you would live forever

abstract (psychopomp)

- your hand in my pocket to keep us both warm

- i need the lyrics for this whole album ngl

- brass section

- im afraid we’ll always be trapped within an abstract

unknown/nth

- you know the distance never made a difference to me UGH

- so much of the living, love, is the being unknown

- do you know i could break beneath the weight of the goodness, love, i still carry for you

- the way he sings that bit just. makes me go !!!!

first light

- harmonies !

- like i lived my whole life before the first light

- darkness always finds you either way

- after this im never gonna be the same (he’s right i won’t)

- layered sound scratches my brain

- guitar!

long story short

i love hozier

[yandere--stuck]

SNORPY MY BELOVEDD!!!

I am kinda begging for some Snorpy hc please,,, if ya want,,,!!!

I hope these are good! :D

---

💛 Though he was slow to warm up to you at first, your eagerness to help and Chandlo's faith in you cemented yourself as a friend in the Grumpus' eyes. Not to mention that you seemed genuinely helpful and caring toward him. It wasnt often that he'd meet someone who either didnt label him as weird or brush off his paranoia. But, you were so kind and friendly, it made it easy for him to let down his walls... And as such, it's only right that he places a tracking device on you! He's just looking out for you, after all. That's what friends do! This way, he'll be able to locate you no matter where you were and listen in to see if you were in any danger. Goodness knows that some Bugsnax could be rather aggressive, not to mention the looming threat of The Grumpinati around every corner! And if Wiggle's assertions about the Queen of Bugsnax were taken as truth, that makes your safety take even further presidence, what with how much you run around the island. And… Well, Snorpy would be lying if he said that getting another chance to hug you wasn't at least part of why he wanted to bug you. You did feel so warm… And it felt so nice to have you in his arms. So nice, in fact, that he forgot to come up with an excuse, only brought back to reality by the sound of your voice and you squirming out of his hold. He blurted out a goodbye and then quickly scurried off, thankful his fur hid his blush.

📍With you now properly bugged, Snorpy spends his time monitoring your location and listening in on you. A lot of his time. He loves listening to the sound of your voice, talking to yourself or to the bugsnax (cooing to them to come closer to a trap or shouting at them to come back when they run away), it's music to his ears! He finds that listening to you eases his worries and quells his anxiety. Honestly, he could listen to you endlessly and probably never tire of it. However, one thing that did bother him was whenever any of the others would talk to you or ask for favors. The thought of the others talking to you… It made Snorpy bare his teeth in frustration and anger. Couldn't they just leave you alone? This was his and your time together!... Even if you weren't actually aware of it. As much as he had grown to consider the other Snaxburg residents, you didn't know them as well as he did! You needed to be more careful! What if someone with ill intentions tried to trick you and you took it at face value? Snorpy had to be there to protect you! So, of course, the most reasonable and best course of action would be to creep into your hut at night to watch over you as you sleep and place cameras all over your room.

💛 Speaking of cameras, he loved saving and taking pictures of you. If he weren't so paranoid over potential blackmail, he'd ask Beffica to take more pictures of you from better angles in exchange for some Snakpods. After all, is that not what good researchers do? This is just research, yes. That's all. He's far too terrified of being exposed, though (even if he's doing nothing wrong, not at all), so his growing stash of pictures from inside your hut and audio logs of your voice will have to do. He's looked and listened to them over and over, so many times, that your words and visage are surely burned into his mind forever… And oddly, the thought makes Snorpy feel so at peace. Usually, even at his happiest, Snorpy still has to constantly fight back the urge to worry or overthink, but with you, all his neuroses just melt away. The feeling is so relieving, so calming, that he can't imagine going back to that, can't imagine losing you. He doesn't ever want to feel like he did without you ever again.

📍So, to say he freaks out when you and the others head for The Isle of Bigsnax, that would be an understatement. He can barely control his breathing. He's near inconsolable, none of the remaining Grumpuses either want to or are able to comfort him. Can't talk to you, can't see you, can't hear you, can't know if you're alright or not. How is he supposed to survive? If- if something happened to you, he didn't know what he'd do! How could he go on?! One of the few friends he had, someone he cared about, someone he needed, gone! For three days, he goes without you. For three days, he is a shell of himself. For three night, he sneaks out in the dark to your hut and sleeps in your beds, curling up in your blanket, trying to take in your scent and imagine your warmth as if you were there with him. Maybe it makes him a bad person, but he couldn't care less about what happened to Shelda, or Dr. Lottablog, or even Floofty. As long as you and Chandlo came back safe and sound, that's all that mattered. The moment you dock back on Simmering Springs, you and Chandlo are practically tackled by Snorpy. The yellow grumpus almost refuses to part from you the rest of your stay on the island, either begging you to stay in Snaxburg instead of exploring the island or reluctantly letting you leave while making you promise him you won't be hurt.

💛 Taking advantage of his time with you and to continue his "research", Snorpy asks you at length about your interests, your life, your likes and dislikes, your opinions on the others in town (and if you have an affinity for anyone in particular, heh). It's only right! After all, hadn't you questioned him in the same manner? He's just trying to be a good friend. He hangs on to your every word, eyes shining with delight, urging you continue or extrapolate further. With each session and piece of information revealed, he'll record it in his notes word-for-word through audio playback. He even makes another conspiracy board all dedicated to you! Well, Snorpy thinks of it as less of a conspiracy board and more of a shrine to you. However, his delight at getting closer to you is soon replaced with grief and terror as the island begins falling apart. The bugsnax begins to attack and he barely holds himself together as he and Chandlo defend the town and themselves. You had run off with Filbo and Eggabell to who knows where! They couldn't protect you like he can! He's only calmed when he sees you and Filbo running toward the ship they had all piled into to flee the island, the both of you clambering on just as the ship takes off. In your desperation, you had lost your footing and tripped right into Snorpy's arms. The sheer relief and warmth and love the Grumpus felt was overwhelming, Snorpy nearly crying as he held you safe in his arms. Soft purrs rumbled in his chest as he held you. He would never let you go again. Never.

📍It really was such a shame that all his research had been destroyed after the fall of Snaktooth. Snorpy was never one to take defeat easily, though. His devotion to you made restoring his notes a breeze. And you inviting him over to his house made bugging your abode all the more easier - not to mention making maps of the floor plan and sneaking some keepsakes that he was sure you wouldn't miss. Fret not, though! He'd return them, eventually, when he moved in! It only made sense. Now that you were back on the mainland, the threat of The Grumpinati was even more present than before! You were something special, and The Grumpinati and any loathsome interloper were sure to see that. It was up to Snorpy to protect you. After getting your schedule down to a T, his plan could begin. He'd sneak in at night, having a copy of your key made without your knowing. He'd tie you up in your sleep (holding back from hugging or Cuddling you again) to keep you safe and restrained for the time being. Then, He'd be quick and quiet as he moved in his stuff to cement the move. There. It was perfect. You were finally safe. Snorpy was here to protect and take care of you forever. Just as you protected and soothed him just by being you, by being his friend. Because he could tell - you loved him. Just as much as he loved you.

[herestoburiedsecrets]

I just finished the new season and HOLY COW!!!!

I honestly loved this season so much!! Literally so many moments were absolutely fantastic but it also brought a whole new level of pain

- CAP IN EP 2 - a) of course he likes bugs (and birds) this is practically confirmation of my autistic Cap hc, b) him and kitty bonding is literally the best thing ever i am always down for it and c) THAT ENDING!!!! He took his jacket off!!!!! I love him so much and I genuinely screamed a bit at that moment

- I loved the deep dive they did into Mary’s backstory and her and Annie’s friendship. I also do kind of appreciate how they don’t actually go into the specifics of Mary’s death aside from the initial motive of the accusation, because i feel like that it very respectful of Mary’s trauma that they have been portraying throughout the show. I really love that they focused on how both Annie and Mary have only ever been forced into the strict religious roles that society has imposed on them (obviously similarly seen with Fanny, altho slightly different, which also makes sense because they are women) and how death and friendship offered them a liberation they were never afforded in life.

- the theme of liberation in death is actually very interesting because it could also be applicable to the Captain, as well as all of the women (altho less evident with Kitty), and how now in death he is free to express himself and his sexuality, which was something he could never do in life. Just thinking about it….

- MARY BEING SUCKED OFF literally hurt me so much. Throughout this whole show i have rarely thought about the idea of the ghosts being sucked off, because while the idea of being stuck in a weird limbo indefinitely unable to make an impact on the living world is a terrifying yet interesting concept that i love exploring, the idea of any ghost just completely disappearing forever pains me so much. Mary’s gone…. I genuinely don’t know if I have accepted that yet. Watching all of the ghosts’ deal with the grief was so difficult - especially the Captain and Kitty - but was also very interesting. While i do know the inevitable fate of each ghost is being sucked off, I don’t think i am quite ready to face this fact yet. I think this episode was beautifully done tho, and made me even sadder than the specific ghost backstory episodes do (and all of them make me really really sad). It just hits on another level.

- following on from that point I am happy that out of all the ghosts it was Mary who was sucked off, especially with the way they executed it within the show and the rounding out of her story. It makes me feel better knowing that Annie already moved on, as she was Mary’s best friend and existing without your best friend for so long would be difficult for her. I love Mary, but I am not as insanely emotionally attached to her as I am to the Captain and Pat and Kitty. I genuinely would be inconsolable if either of them got sucked off.

- two brief funny moments that I loved were literally everything with Cap (he was amazing this season) but specifically when he goes to apologise to Alison, & Fanny grooming Robin like her pets

- I do think this season was a little slow to start but once it picked up it didn’t stop and i loved it so much

- I do love that they focused on some more unusual pairings (like Julian and Fanny (which was excellent, and Thomas and Kitty I am surprised they haven’t paired together more often) but I also love that they gave us more of my favourites (Cap and Kitty, Robin and Julian). However, I am sad that there wasn’t more Pat and Cap because I feel like their friendship was really developed in season 3 and while I guess there was less need for the leadership duo in s4, I feel like we got barely any interactions between them and they are one of my favourite pairings (if not my actual favourite), and not just because I ship them, but also because I really love their dynamic.

- ROBIN DIED BY LIGHTENING STRIKE!! I know it was a popular fan theory but I am still so happy I headcanoned it and it is actually true!!

- I actually really loved Julian this season. I like Julian a lot but this season in particular i really liked him.

- I definitely feel like there was a different vibe this season (as to be expected with new seasons, and this could just be down to the direction of it, as I believe they changed directors for this season) and while i loved pretty much all the episodes, the new vibe will take some getting used to.

- I LOVE MIKE AND ALISON SO MUCH!! Literally Mike is such a supportive husband and that episode where Mike tries to get Alison to relax is so cute, and yeah I just really love them.

There is so much more I love about this season but those are my immediate thoughts and I think I will rewatch it tomorrow to fully collect my thoughts about it!

[theroyalsims]

BREAKING: AL-SIMHARA’S CROWN PRINCE IBRAHIM QUITS; RELINQUISHES ROYAL TITLES

Massive news from Al-Simhara today, as an official statement from Crown Prince Ibrahim was released, announcing his relinquishment of his role as heir to the throne.

Ibrahim’s decision was announced via a lengthy handwritten letter, sent to various local and international news outlets. The letter, already confirmed to be genuine, is reproduced in its entirety below:

Over the past year, you have all been witness to the struggles and difficulties I have faced concerning both my public and private life. I was made to give up the woman that I love, my relationship with my family has been reduced to ashes, and despite all the horrifying events that unfolded in my life, I was left with no choice but to continue with life, as if all is well. 

But all is not well, and continue, I cannot. After many agonising months of deliberation, I have decided that I can no longer proceed with my role and duties as the Crown Prince and heir to the throne to the Kingdom of Al-Simhara. I am officially relinquishing all my rights and titles as Crown Prince and giving up any and all claims to the Al-Simharan Crown. 

I would like to thank the people of Al-Simhara for the kindness and support you have given me through the years. It is because of you that I find this decision very difficult to make. All my life, I have wanted nothing more than to serve my people as Crown Prince, and one day, as King. Please know that I will forever value all of you, perhaps no longer as my subjects, but as my brothers and sisters, my countrymen. 

I would also like to thank my family, especially my father, His Majesty The King, for raising me to be the man I am today. It is because of the integrity and honesty that you have instilled in me, that I find the courage to this. 

I am at a point in my life where the thing I covet most is happiness. I do not yet consider myself a truly happy man, but in letting all of this go, I hope that I will finally be able to pursue my happiness, my fate, and my life freely and truthfully.

May the Divine Being bless you all.  Long live the King!

Your brother, 

Ibrahim

(Above: The handwritten letter, above, bearing Ibrahim’s signature and monogram was sent to multiple news outlets worldwide.)

The letter bore Ibrahim’s royal monogram, and is now said to be the last official communication sent by His Royal Highness as Crown Prince. No word yet on whether or not the Al-Simharan Royal Family was privy to this decision, or if it was one Ibrahim made privately. 

The Al-Simharan Palace has yet to issue a statement on the matter, but the resignation of their trusty heir is bound to ruffle some feathers. While the vacated “Crown Prince” post will surely be passed on to one of the King’s younger sons, Ibrahim’s departure will almost absolutely leave a gaping hole not just within the Royal Family, but the whole kingdom, as well. 

(Above: File photo of King Phillip, posing with his son and heir, Crown Prince Ibrahim during an official visit to the Al-Simharan National Park a couple of years ago.)

The uncharacteristically personal letter touched on his frustrations, and perhaps more importantly, his heartbreak over his incredibly controversial and-much-publicised break-up with Eleanore a little over a year ago. Signing off as “Your brother” Ibrahim also thanked the Al-Simharan people. He also gave credit for his father, King Phillip, for raising him to be the man he is today. 

Interestingly, the surprise bombshell comes over a month after it was reported that his ex, Eleanore, has introduced a rumoured new boyfriend to her parents, Queen Emilia and Prince Jacques, during Her Majesty’s birthday dinner. 

(Above: Ibrahim was said to be despondent and inconsolable after his father withdrew his consent and ordered the cancellation of his wedding to Eleanore.)

Following the cancellation of his wedding to Eleanore, multiple Al-Simharan sources reported that Ibrahim was ‘incredibly miserable;’ so much so that the he went on a six-month leave of absence from royal duties. After he resumed taking on official engagements some months ago, people were quick to note that the “new” Ibrahim was very different from the fun-loving and seemingly happy Crown Prince they were used to. He seemed more serious and one writer noted that he seemed in a hurry to leave, enough to just “get the job done” during his engagements. To make things even worse, just last month, there were new rumours that King Phillip has picked a handful of potential brides for Ibrahim to choose from. 

Has Ibrahim’s heartbreak finally driven him over the edge? Maybe the fact that Eleanore has moved on - quite seamlessly at that - has motivated him to seek freedom beyond Al-Simhara’s palace walls? Whatever the reason for this decision, we can only hope that Ibrahim finally finds the happiness he so desperately desires.

[ijuststareatstuffhereok89]

Nights at the Circus: Part XXXI

Loki is arrested for stopping Hydra and saving your life with his seidr. With their hands tied by the deal set between the UN and Asgard's Ambassadors, S.H.I.E.L.D. turns him over, and you may never see the god you love again, at least until the most unlikely of allies decides to give you a gift.

SERIES MASTERLIST

Content Warning: n/a Word Count: 3k

You had to be on constant surveillance for the next few hours by different members of the team as you consistently flailed, argued, screamed, and lost your mind over the news about Loki’s arrest. You were absolutely rabid, relentless, and inconsolable. The blanket that had been laying over you was nothing but a pile of ash on your lap.

“GIVE ME FURY, GODDAMNIT!!! RIGHT NOW!!!” you repeated over and over as Steve and Tony tried to hold you down. “WHERE’S THOR???”

“He’s already trying!!” Stark assured you. “He’s talking to--Jesus, release this woman before she sets fire to all the expensive stuff in here!” 

“I HOPE I DO!” you shouted with immaturity, sending blue sparks across the room. 

Stark and Steve arranged for your release on the condition that, instead of busting into Fury’s office, flames a-blazing, you’d agree to meet him (CALMLY) in the conference room the following morning, after being assured that Loki’s hearing wouldn’t be until the next day.

At 8am sharp, you were already there and looking out the window, a fury of your own surging through your core as fifty different things blew through your head in the span of a blink. There was no hope for him on Asgard, so you had to pull out every stop to keep him from the Rainbow Bridge. 

That means basically convincing the entire planet that Loki is a good guy now. Yeah, should be easy. 

You fiddled with the engagement band on your finger, your thoughts temporarily retreating back to twelve hours prior, where you’d just made the stand of your life against the only ‘family’ you’d ever known, and Loki had rewarded you with a proposal to start anew with him. He’d given you the only heart stone he’d ever be able to conjure, he was so certain that he wanted his ever after to be with you.

And you technically hadn’t even answered him. In fact, you arguably rejected him, just before he turned around and saved your ass, getting taken away (possibly forever) for it. 

In that moment, you realized that you hated yourself, and that this was all your fault. 

Calm yourself, you tried to encourage your skin to temper, your goosebumps to go away. You have time. You will stop at nothing, just like he would, but it might be a rational head that works…

That was when Nick entered the room, and you decided that decorum be fucked the minute you saw his face. 

“What the hell is this place, Fury? What kind of Stanford Prison Experiment is S.H.I.E.L.D.? What is the POINT of saving people if we aren’t even allowed to save ourselves?” you growled dominantly. “All of this horseshit from you that I’ve seen here…”

“...excuse me, but what horse shit are you referring to?”

“You just handed over the man who saved our asses to certain death, for starters. Oh yeah, and Wanda’s ankle monitor that keeps her shackled here like a prisoner, and how about those pills that make Pietro puke more than a pregnant woman at a Black Sabbath concert? Oh yeah, and don't think I forgot that, on a technicality, YOU KIDNAPPED ME and FORCED me into service as an Avenger! There’s more if you want it!” 

You had to stop to catch your breath, then you braced yourself for the inevitable pushback from Fury. It never came. He looked at you with a glare that wasn’t entirely unsympathetic (though it still leaned to the side of stoic). 

“I really am sorry, I don't blame you for this,” Fury said, his voice low and steady. “Our hands were tied.”

“Yeah, everyone keeps saying that,” you replied, “But last time I checked, we had the super powers, not them.”

“Y/N, if we didn’t abide by the council’s terms, it could bring chaos to the world. We would be on the hook for all of the possible upheaval,” he reasoned. “It’s not in our control anymore.”

You brushed a bead of sweat from your eyebrow, the frustration making your heart race. “Do you think they’ll hear testimony from me?”

Nick Fury shrugged. “I suppose it’s possible. I could look into it.”

“Perhaps we can get them to agree to keep him here and away from his father’s harsher punishment?” you asked. 

He looked at the floor for a moment in consideration. “I won’t lie, Bird, it’s the only card in your hand, and it’s not very likely to work.”

“But I can try,” you mumbled. 

Fury sighed and looked down again. “Yes.”

“And anyone else who wants to?” you pried, encouraged. 

“I guess. But stop sounding like it’ll do much. The UN doesn’t trust any of us.”

“That’s a start,” you said quietly. “I’ll go see who else might want to join me, but I;d like to see Loki first, of course.”

Fury shook his head. “UN’s orders. No one is to visit.”

You felt the piping hot steam surge through you again, feeling bits of your skin flake off ito smoke as you did everything you could to suppress your rage. 

“Well you said, swallowing down your emotions. “It’s a damn good thing I don't give a fuck about the UN.”

-------------

Apparently, nearly everyone else did give a fuck about the UN. 

“I cannot,” said an apologetic Natasha. “It’s hard enough keeping the rest of us on good terms with the UN. This is not my fight.”

When you approached Tony, he shrugged. “I can’t compromise the rest of my organizations over international brouhaha.”

Clint cited his family and distaste for politics. The Maximoffs’ testimony would have been pointless, being newer to the team, so you didn’t even bother to ask. Bruce only shook his head sadly and started walking away until you threw a firm palm against his shoulder, stopping him in his tracks. 

“You can’t be serious,” you pleaded. “You’re the most reasonable person on the team!” 

He shook his head. “Only some of the time.”

You looked into his eyes, making him clearly feel uncomfortable. “Then what’s your excuse?” you barked. “The UN big guys scare you too?” 

Bruce didn’t respond. 

Growling, feral with frustration, you shoved him back. “Pathetic. PATHETIC! All of you!” 

“No, Y/N--”

“--Loki saved all of us, and he’s going to die for it!” you continued, your mouth scrambling ahead of your brain. “And all of you sit back and cower in your castle! What, are you only ever good for anything if you’re snitching a staff or shooting at some space invaders? When it comes to real justice, and real avenging, you all SUCK!”

You spun on your heels and knocked into Steve’s shoulder as you went through the door, leaving him confused and speechless. 

“Where’s Thor?” you hissed at him, stopping but refusing to turn around. 

“Kitchen,” Steve whispered. It sounded like he was beginning to say something else, but you didn’t bother to wait for it. 

You found Thor staring at a full mug of beer, making no move to consume it, instead looking expectantly at it like it held the answers to life itself. Alas, he must not have found any, for he looked as forlorn as you felt in the moment. 

“Thor, I think it really will just be you and me testifying,” you said, pulling up a stool beside him. He nodded. 

“Not sure what good I can do here,” he mumbled, not moving physically to acknowledge you. “I’m not of this realm. My word stops meaning anything after I put my hammer down.”

You wanted to cry at Thor’s sad words. “But he’s your brother.”

He was quiet for a moment, as if reflecting on something. “Yes,” he finally agreed. “I am planning on following him home to Asgard when--if!--he’s sent there. My testimony would serve our cause better against my father than against this world’s council.”

“Well, if it’s all the same to you, I’d rather not let it get that far,” you replied.

“Indeed, Firebird. I believe if there was any possibility of convincing the council to offer a reprieve, it would have to come from someone they trust and adore…and I cannot think of anyone who would fulfill that need.”

You felt the first tear run down your face. “They won’t even let me see him,” you said hopelessly. “Why would that be such a difficult thing to do?” 

“It’s because they fear all of us,” said Thor. “Can’t say I blame them. I have all of the powers of thunder at my fingertips.” 

“I want to go with you when--if!--you return to Asgard,” you insisted.

Thor shook his head. “That would be impossible. Heimdall only lets through those he is permitted to. It is how he keeps attackers out of our lands.”

“He wouldn’t open that Rainbow Road for me?”

“Rainbow bridge,” Thor corrected you. “And no, he would not. He’s refused me in the past. His orders come from my father, Odin.”

“Then we’re all screwed,” you grunted. 

Your companion looked at you oddly. “How do you mean?”

You looked at Thor and raised an eyebrow. “Your father, the man who tormented Loki so much and kept so much from him?”

“My father is a great man, if misguided by stubbornness in his old age.”

“From what I hear, that’s a trait he passed on to you,” you snapped. 

“Loki will have his biases against Odin,” Thor admitted. “And for my part, I don't believe Odin thinks of Loki as anything less than his son, even now.”

“He seems to think otherwise,” you said. 

“Odin is the Allfather. He is the singular king of one of the Nine Realms. His role in the Universe is magnanimous. As such, he prefers ruling with strict fairness and promise”

You indicated that you wanted Thor to continue to explain. He finally sat back in his chair with the mug of beer and took a long drink. “But Odin gave his intentions to the council when everything was decided on,” Thor continued. “He won’t go back on them, even now, for the sake of sentiment.”

“He sees his relationships with his family as sentiment? That’s frigid,” you remarked. 

“Needless to say, he is not a warm man. Loki may not be the son of his body, but there is no denying that ice still runs through the Allfather’s veins.”

You gritted your teeth so hard you nearly cracked one. “So, he’ll kill his son to keep up appearances, basically. And if we came forth and begged for him to be spared, he wouldn’t budge?”

Thor shrugged, looking down into his mug again. “Even our mother likely couldn’t sway him. Not that it matters, I assume no one from Midgard will be permitted back to Asgard for the execu--sentencing.”

Suddenly, an idea came to you as you began to smell smoke coming from your hand.  “What if…” you mused. “What if I was a stowaway?”

Thor shook his head. “Heimdall sees more than what eyes ever could.”

“But if I were to find a way to sneak back alongside you, and if I, perhaps, made it a last-minute decision…”

Thor shrugged. “It would be one Hel of a mind trick, and I’m not sure you could even fool Heimdall then.” But he smiled and winked at you. 

“Then it’s settled, I won’t find a way to follow you to Asgard.”

You looked down as your smoke reassembled on your hand. “There is surely no way I could do such a trick…”

----------------------

Your conversation with Thor didn’t do much in the end to quell your desperation, and you were running out of Avengers to persuade. You even kneeled before Maria Hill as if proposing to her, until she sighed and looked at you with pity. 

“Nick already told me you would do this, and he told me that I can’t,” she replied. “But, if it’s any help, I know at least two of the council members read romance novels, if you wanted to bring up the relationship and try to--”

“--thank you, Maria, that helps.”

What was more, it was nearing midnight, and you still couldn’t convince anyone (including Maria) to let you see Loki. At 11:45pm, you were trying one last time to get Fury to give you clearance, talking to him on a telescreen in the conference room this time. 

“Firebird, I’m tired and I’ve tried!”

“Well, try harder, or this whole damn place is going to be ashes by dawn!” you threatened. 

Nick Fury rolled his eyes. “Okay, you do that, kid, but it’s not gonna do your loverboy much good if you’re serving a life sentence in San Quentin, will it?”

Tears were streaming down your face. “Why won’t you even let me see him?”

“Because they don’t want anyone with magic powers and a vested interest in his freedom going down there and breaking him out. You…don’t understand that?”

“This is cruel. I hope you all fucking burn,” you cursed. “Avengers? More like Selfish Self-Preservationists.”

“I’ll be by for you tomorrow morning, Y/N,” he ignored you. “Dress like a politician.”

The screen went to black as Fury signed off. You finally let out the shriek of desolation you’d been hiding in for the past eighteen hours, sinking to the floor and letting your grief drown you. 

“Y/N?” came a soft, deep voice from the doorway. 

You looked up from your weeping to see Steve standing there in an undershirt and jeans. 

“What is it?” you asked, trying to calm down for his sake. 

“I heard,” he said, walking over and sitting on the ground next to you. “And I’m here for you.”

You groaned. “Not that I don't appreciate the vote of confidence, but sympathy isn’t going to get me into Loki’s cell, or get the UN to listen to one person speak on his behalf!”

Steve smiled tenderly at you. “That’s not what I was saying.”

“I’m all alone in this, Steve! What am I going to do?”

“You won’t be alone in this,” he assured you. “I’ll testify with you tomorrow. I figure I owe it to you both after how I acted around you. And if any one of us has a good reputation with the UN, it’s Captain America.” 

You smirked. “And you’re sure you aren’t doing this to impress me?”

Steve took your hand in his and squeezed it gently. “No, I’m not. I’m doing this because it’s right. I know you don’t believe me, but I do know how it feels when you love someone…and they love you back.”

“Agent Carter,” you answered. Steve nodded solemnly. 

“I don’t know if I could ever be close friends with the guy,” Steve admitted, “But Loki did break his parole in order to save our lives. And he’s got your heart, so, count me in.”

You looked at him for a moment, and suddenly you saw a real brother sitting in front of you. You felt warm inside, but for once, it wasn’t coming from your fire. 

“Steve, do you think you could get me in to see him now?” you asked. 

He thought, then shrugged. “Maybe. Maybe if I promised to stand guard, they’d relent.”

You perked up almost immediately. “I have to see him!” 

He nodded. “I thought so.”

He got to his feet and offered a hand to you, which you took. “I don’t think I can get you more than maybe ten minutes, so be quick,” he advised. He went to let go of your hand before noticing Loki’s stone on your finger. 

“Y/N, if you don’t mind me being curious, is this a--?”

“--I don’t know,” you said awkwardly. “He said he could only ever make one, and that he wanted me to have it. Then he did…he did propose.”

Steve shook his head. “If memory serves me, we met you ten weeks ago.”

“I know,” you muttered. “But, I wanted to say yes.”

“And once he’s free, will you?” Steve pried. 

You looked off to the side, imagining the possibility that tomorrow could go your way, and if it did, you could marry him at any time. You could live in the same apartment. Maybe you could convince the UN to lift his parole and let you leave the city one day. Then, you could get started on that large family Loki was talking about…

 “Yeah, I think I will.” 

Steve looked down at the floor a moment, then back up at you again with the same mild comforting smile. “Then, we need to hurry if we want time to plan out what we need to say.” 

As you got into the elevator to go down to the sub-basement, Steve waited until the doors closed before bringing up something else that was on his mind. 

“Um, Y/N?”

“Yes, Steve?”

Steve awkwardly scratched the back of his neck and avoided eye contact with you. “I suppose it goes without saying that one thing we won’t mention tomorrow is the, err, when the three of us, well--”

“--the time Loki and I blew your mind, among other things? Yes, don’t worry about that. I thought it was implied.”

------------------

@el-zef @lokisgoodgirl @xorpsbane @fictive-sl0th @toozmanykids @itsybitchylittlewitchy @mochie85 @mischief2sarawr @michelleleewise @goblingirlsarah @moonlightreader649 @huntress-artemis

[justastrugglinghotchocolate]

Hi hello, I was listening to Ib music and now i need to tell you about a dumb little Ib (the rpg horror game) au, that I won’t do much with but that I want to exist in the world outside of my brain. If things are incoherent, it’s cause I am caffeinated.

Spoilers for Ib (It’s 2022, if you haven’t heard of this game, do yourself a favor and watch a playthrough or read the wiki. This game was my childhood.)

Right off the bat, Dorian is Mary, so he doesn’t exist in the same world as Basil and Henry. Also this is for the Henry/Basil fandom. If you want Dasil, check any of my other works. Also everyone is an adult, ranging from their 20s.

Oke, it takes place in the Modern day and has the same premise as the original: Basil and Henry, who have known each other for years at this point, go to an art gallery, though in this case it’s to celebrate “something.” (Henry refuses to say what it is [he’s expecting Basil to confess, he’s right.]) Anyways, then Basil finds the Fabricated World painting and gets transported there.

The person he finds and partners with is not Henry, but, surprise!—it’s Sybil! (Because I think she’s a way cooler option, and they’re gonna be friends). So the AU would follow the same plot as the original game with some changes made to adhere to the new characters. Eventually they meet Dorian, believe he’s also trapped there and all three team up, until it becomes very clear that he is a painting, and yes, he has been trying to get Sybil killed so that he can escape with Basil.

Oke now I’m gonna talk about some endings:

Welcome to the World of Guertena: Sybil gets attacked by weird ass gallery dolls and has a mental break. Basil refuses to leave her behind, infuriating Dorian. Basil tells him off and, in retaliation, Dorian starts tearing off the petals on Basil’s rose. (If you don’t know, in the game, the characters’ lives are connected to the roses, any damage done to the flower hurts them.) Dorian injures Basil enough, that he can’t leave and decides that they’ll all stay in this world, together. Great for him, bad for the other two.

Forgotten Portrait: Sybil dies because of Dorian destroying her rose, Basil has to leave her behind and find Dorian’s painting. He sets the portrait alight, which kills Dorian. He manages to leave this world, returning to the gallery with no memory of what happened. He starts making his way back to Henry when he sees a portrait of Sybil ‘sleeping’. He starts crying, not knowing why, and Henry finds him, an inconsolable mess. He decides the confession can wait and guides Basil out of the gallery.

Together, Forever: Sybil dies, but Basil doesn’t have the lighter, so never burns the portrait. He returns to his world, doesn’t remember anything, and looks for Henry. He finds him with Dorian. As in the game, the world changes so that Dorian existence makes sense—he’s Basil’s roommate, has been for a while now. Basil’s memory in foggy and he finds a piece of candy in his pocket (Sybil had given it to him earlier), but then Dorian takes it from him and eats it, forever destroying any chance of his crime being discovered. He then insists on Basil returning home, cockblocking Henry, and drags Basil outside the gallery. It’s implied that Dorian has no inclination to share his new best friend.

Ib (Basil) All Alone: Having lost Sybil and burned Dorian, Basil wanders the now empty gallery and finds a bed. Realizing that he’s exhausted, he lays in it and reminisces of his last birthday. Henry had given him a stuffed toy as a joke, before revealing that he actually got him a finely made silk handkerchief. (Basil always carries it with him now) Throughout the memory, Basil feels himself slowly fall further and further asleep. Eventually in the memory (dream?), he slumps onto Henry, who tells him he can sleep if he’d like, though Basil feebly tells him that he needs to tell him something. He slips away and the exhibit now has a sleeping beauty.

Promise of Reunion: Sybil and Basil burn down the portrait, but the fire causes the glass of the portrait to shatter, cutting Sybil’s hand. Using the handkerchief Henry gave him, Basil helps bandage the world. They leave together, don’t remember where they were, yadda yadda. Basil eventually bumps into her and they talks about stuff, before he notices his handkerchief and then they remember. They promises to meet again, Sybil inviting him to a show and taking the handkerchief to wash it. Basil returns to Henry, who has no idea of the strange adventure his friend just experienced. Basil, now confident and knowing how easily everything could be lost, kisses him instead of verbally confessing. Henry is absolutely stunned (though very, very pleased) and then gets dragged by Basil to dinner, barely able to comprehend what’s happened. Basil and Sybil do meet again, the adventure in the fabricated world nothing but a secret between them.

Thank you so much for reading. I know that neither of these fandoms are particularly active and I’m currently shadowbanned, so if even one person took the time out of their day to read this, that means a lot to me :). I may do sone doodles of this, perhaps even a few ficlets, but nothing too substantial.